Gingerbread

Set as the centerpiece of our Plaid Christmas Lodge Tablescape our Cabin the Woods Gingerbread house is easy to assemble and looks so pretty on the table surrounded by white cotton candy snow. Our step by step directions and tips help you create a successful project for your Christmas table.

Note: Each of these steps can be done at different times within days of each other if needed.

Gingerbread Cabin Tutorial 

Supplies:

• serrated knife such as a bread knife
• small paring knife
• 1 gallon zip top bag
• white cake stand
• parchment paper or silicone baking mat
• wash cloth
• gingerbread dough (see ingredients list)
• 2 batches of hard candy glue (see ingredients list)
• royal frosting (see ingredients list)
• gingerbread roof template (printed)
• gable template (printed)
• craft brush
• 1 large bag of rod pretzels
• 1 bag of pretzel sticks
• 1 bag of white cotton candy
• 1 bag of spearmint candy leaves
• 1 bag of red hots
• 1 box of sno caps candy
• 1 bag of pearl candies 
• 1/2 powdered sugar

 Step 1 - Prep Work

First, gather all your supplies including the supplies you need for your gingerbread dough and your hard handy glue. Next, read through all the directions before starting.

Print the gingerbread roof template and the gable template.

Make 1 batch of gingerbread dough note: the gingerbread roof can be made days ahead if needed.

Roll out gingerbread dough on silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Score the outline of the roof tracing two pieces. Set in freezer for 10 minutes.

Bake gingerbread roof for 14 minutes at 350 degrees.

Now cut the pieces completely. Tip: We score then cut afterwards to make a straighter gingerbread roof.

Cook completely on baking rack tip: set in a garage or other cool place to speed up cooling.

While gingerbread roof is cooling ...

Using a paring knife, cut small piece of the spearmint leave candy and shape into a leaf shape for the wreaths.

Using a serrated knife in a sawing motion cut 6 pretzel logs into 6 inch pieces

Cut 6 pretzel logs into 5 inch pieces. These pieces are for the log cabin.

Using the gable template as your guide cut 11 pieces for each gable (see photo)

Next, cut out the door and shutter pieces.

Cut 6- 2 inch pieces for the door, 3- 1 1 /2 inch pieces of the cross bars on the door, cut 12- 1 1/2 inch pieces for the shutters and 8- 1/2 inch pieces for the cross bar on the shutters.

Step 2 - Assembling with the Hard Candy Glue

Working with the hard candy glue is a quick process. The glue will hard as soon as it cools so having everything laid out and ready to assemble is essential. You will need to do this in two parts making two batches of hard candy glue.

Begin by gluing the side logs together to form 4 panels- these are the 5 and 6 inch pieces previously cut.

Once side panels are assembled glue together gable pieces

Now glue panels together to form the cabin base (see photo)

Hard Candy Glue will be hardening by now and it's time to trim the top of your gable pretzels at an angle following the guide.

Make your second batch of Hard Candy Glue

Attach the gables on the 6 inch side of the cabin base.

Brush glue on the tops of the gables.

Working quickly place one roof side on at a time make sure they are secure. Dab with more glue under the edge if needed.

Bush a glue along the peak of the roof to fill in the cracks to add strength.

Note: if your hard candy glue hardens before everything is assembled simply make another batch to finish

Step 3 - Assembling and decorating with Royal Frosting

Royal frosting is the glue for our decorations and the snow on the peak of the roof top as well as the pretty icicles that hang from the roof's edges. Don't worry if your frosting is a bit drippy or gloppy this just adds to the snow effect on the cabin. We use the zip top bag to keep the frosting from drying. This is when the wash cloth comes into play. Get it nice and wet. You will need it to wipe your hands from time to time when working with royal frosting.

First, make your royal frosting and put it into your zip top bag.

Cut the tip of the bag off to allow the frosting to flow.

Gather the pieces for your door and shutters.

Draw a large rectangle the approximate size of the door on one of the sides of the cabin.

Assemble your door as seen in the photo. Work quickly the royal frosting will begin to set up.

On the end draw a large rectangle for your window.

Assemble the shutters with 3 pretzel pieces on each side and the 2- 1/2 inch as the cross bars as show in the photo.

For the roof draw frosting lines on a diagonal to for a diamond pattern as shown in the photos. Do one side then...

Place one sno cap candy at each cross section on the roof.

Repeat on the other side of the roof.

Next, add an additional pretzel to the top of the roof line to top off the peak using royal frosting as the glue.

Using royal frosting as your glue attach spearmint leaves candy trees next to your door as in the photo.


On each gable work on one at a time draw a thick circle of frosting glue.

Using the small pieces of spearmint leaves you cut make a wreath on each gable.

Add 3 red hot candies for berries on each wreath.

For a wood stack cut extra pieces of pretzels into logs.

Make a base of 5 logs and stack to a peak gluing together with royal icing.

To add a stove pipe chimney cut a 2 inch piece of pretzel.

Cut end at an angle.

Attach to roof at one end with royal frosting as glue.

Top the chimney off with a puff of white cotton candy smoke.

Using the white cotton candy make a bed of snow on your cake stand.

Carefully place your cabin in the center of the cake stand.

Add your wood stack to the scene.

For the pièce de résistance add your icicles.

Top off with a dusting of powdered sugar snow. Using your craft brush tap powdered sugar into the cracks and crevices of your cabin.